So I’m 54 and have been surfing seriously for 5 years. To start with the shoulder pain was intense and ruinous. Now it is much better and does not trouble me for so long (24 hours instead of days and weeks!). I suspect that not starting as a teenager mean that I never developed the muscles that are now required, running and leggey stuff was more my thing.
My question is this: Although very fit and healthy, has my body reached an age that it will not develop muscle? I have watched my teenage son’s physique develop awsomly through surfing over the last 5 years and know (but hate to admit it) that I will never achieve that level of development!
However it would be nice not to feel so damn tired the day after a 3-4 hour session.
Should I take protein drinks as one person has suggested? I’m not into drugs, pills etc.
Maybe just accept the fact and carry on until it finally drives me from the water. Growing old gracefully is not something I’m in favour of. Keep doing it as long as possible, whatever it is, is my view.
How think the experts? Just don’t tell me to get out of the water, it’s not an option. The new fish works a treat so I cannot abandon it…
I’m no medic. I have recently entered my 50’s though.
No you wont ever have the body or fitness of a twenty year old mostly due to the reduction of anabolic hormones in your body as you’ve aged. But I reckon there are some things you can do to keep going.
My advice would be to stretch before, after and in between surfs. Eat as clean, low fat, low carb food as you can. And up your protein intake. Do some lightish exercise (walking, some weights . . . Don’t over do it). And something I’ve found to help (sounds retarded I know but) surf for shorter periods. Having mamoth sessions will take more for you body to recover. Shorter surfs more often are the way to go.
I have personal and professional interest in the answers to your question. I’m an orthopaedic surgeon, a competitive athlete, in my 50s and work out every day. It used to be believed that once you hit 50, the best you can hope for is to maintain muscle against the physiologic loss of muscle bulk that begins around that age. It has been established more recently that gain in muscle mass and strength is possible well past 50. I concentrate on chest and paddling muscles in my workouts and add aerobics (paddle boarding, mountain biking) 4-5 days a week as time allows.
There are many resources available online and in your local library for reading about weight training and fitness regimens, just a matter of finding one that fits your objectives and time constraints. I always get the minimum protein in every day,
1 gm/kg body weight, and usually quite a bit more, adding whey protein shakes twice a day, soy protein at least once.
The gain in muscle and strength won’t be as quick as it would at 25, but with the right workout regimen, fat loss and muscle gain is achievable.
I feel kind of the same as I’m approaching 30 fast, but I’m pretty sure any one can get fit if they put there mind to it and do it in the right way, which means not overdoing it nad a little more self disapline, its easyier when your in your teens as your matabolism slows as you get older and stretching is always improtant, even olimpic athletes stretch.
I was much fitter when I was 19 but at the time I had a 70 yr old matial arts teach, he looked just like a frail old man, till he took his shirt off and he was ripped like Bruce Lee. If a 70 yr old can be 10 times fiter than a 19 yr (who trained a lot) then I’m sure its not impossible for you,
People have different body physics and put on mucle in different ways, Large mucles are not neccicarly strong or build for quick released of energy as a lot of the mass can be made up of fat and sinue. Smaller toned well defined mucles can be stronger and quicker so just coz your not bulking up like Arnie doesn’t mean your not increasing you fitness and strength. Don’t compete in fitness against your son, measure your progress against yourself, swim, run, walk lift wieght, but keep a record of best times, longest distences ect to show who your stamina and strength are increasing, and try to increace these little by little say 5 lenght of the pool extra each week, add a little wieght or increace the number of reps, walk longer distances or walk the same distance in a faster time. just build up very gradually, set your self realistic goals and when you reach them reward yourself. So mabay at 30 lenghts then again at 64 (1mile).
Another thing: don’t neglect rotator cuff exercises and stretching. Again, there are plenty of resources explaining the proper techniques online. Best way to insure many years of surfing is to keep the shoulder muscles supple and conditioned. A good resource for a variety of exercise and nutrition information (I get my whey protein powder from them too) is this one: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/index.html
I’m 59 with a very sore lower back, sometimes very slow or painful getting to my feet on the panic takeoff, i’ll take a couple ibuprophren with plenty of food and water if i see a painful session coming, i don’t like taking anything and keep it to a minimum but the ibu works pretty good for me. Leftover tiredness calls for more coffee, food and naps Ibu is caustic to the stomach and there are chemicals deposited to organs so be thoughtful of your body if you put that medicine in there.
alt.practitioner here–acupuncture and herbs and nutrition. I would recommend all of the above because yes you can definitely get in shape and add muscle AND go see an M.D. and get hormone workup. Needs to be a doc who is into the newer “anti-aging” perspective. I crashed bad when I hit 50; thyroid quit, adrenals tanked, testosterone went down down down. Took some finageling and I’ll never ever be 20 again but now I feel human! Do a lot of your own research though as there is much craziness out there even in the main stream ie skip the growth hormone unless you legitimately test low for it and even then, stay in normal physiological levels. Same for all hormones really; people crank them up beyond that via supplementation are asking for all kinds of long term problems. Feel free to p.m. me
Warm up first - no stretch, workout (surf), stretch. Surf consistently (every other day, or 2 days on one day off), limit your session to what’s best for your body - maybe 3 hours. If you’ve got a lot of shoulder pain, you may need a board that is easier to paddle, catch waves, avoid straining- if you are, you probably need more foam… Keep doing paddling sessions during flat spells. Have fun.
OK! so stop whining and get to it-----swim whenever you get a chance, learn basic yoga stretching, light weight work, and ride a bike as often as you can. losing a few pounds won’t hurt ----and go surf! 600mg of iubprofgen before you surf will help after you surf. and a good mattress for sound sleep. and take the teenage son on a surf trip to cento amer or some such place.
o by the way— i’m 62 and doing this stuff everyday----if you rest you rust!
I play tennis once a week, ride a bike to work (20 miles a day), sail once a week and surf the rest of the time! C’mon, I AM trying! Maybe too hard!
Did a surf trip to Portugal with son last November and plan another this year, actually the pain went away, probably the sun and cheap beer.
Summertime in Pembrokeshire, great swell last night and 43 people in the line which can normally handle 12, most of us never got a sniff at a wave, but it was beautiful.
Some great advice here, many thanks to you all, students all gone home, mmmmmmmmm better sneak off to the beach before work…
Ibu is caustic to the stomach and there are chemicals deposited to organs so be thoughtful of your body if you put that medicine in there.